1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in trailer hitches and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a multiple connection trailer hitch.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of a vehicle, such as a pick-up truck or the like, for towing a trailer is in widespread use today, particularly with the increased interest in camp trailers, mobile homes, and the like. Many persons operate these towing vehicles with a variety of different towed vehicles, and each towed vehicle may be provided with a different size connection member. As a consequence, the usual trailer ball hitch available today for being secured to a towing vehicle must normally be removed from the vehicle and replaced with another hitch in order to accommodate the different or varying connector sizes of the towed vehicles. In order to overcome this disadvantage, trailer hitches have been developed wherein the hitch is provided with a plurality of connection ball members, each connection member being of a different size. The hitch may be manipulated for positioning the proper size connection member for receiving the connecting element of the towed vehicle, thus eliminating the need for maintaining a plurality of complete hitch devices. Many of these adjustable type hitches comprise channel members having an independent connection element secured to each side thereof, and the channel member must be rotated about its longitudinal axis for altering the position of the connection members as required for use with the particular vehicle to be towed. A cluster-type hitch is shown in the H. V. Riddle U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,233, issued Nov. 3, 1959, and entitled "Cluster Trailer Hitch". This device comprises a plate carried by an upstanding sleeve aand having a plurality of variable sized ball connectors carried on the outer face thereof. This structure has disadvantages in that there are many weak points in the construction, such as at the juncture between the upstanding sleeve and the brackets securing the device to a vehicle, and the relatively great loads or stresses placed on a hitch of this type causes a failure of the device at these weak points whereupon the hitch "collapses" and fails to function properly.